Overwatch: How To Get Ready For The Overwatch League

With less than a week left until the return of the Overwatch League, many fans are waiting at the edge of their seat. The last few days is always the hardest, as fans are so close, yet so far from their beloved esport. Fans, pundits and players alike are waiting eagerly for the return of this wonderful competition. Here are a few things fans of the Overwatch League can do before its return on February 14.

Gear

Courtesy of Fanatics

The Overwatch League announced that they were partnering with Fanatics, and that a new store would be coming soon. That store is now open, and includes gear for each and every Overwatch League team, including the expansion teams. The items offered for all teams are the home and away jerseys (both blank and with each players name), t-shirts, hoodies, long sleeve shirts, and hats. Some teams are offering signed merchandise, including pictures, hats, and jerseys. Certain teams also have other merchandise, including glasses, socks, and sweatpants.

Not sure who to root for yet? Don’t worry – there is merch for fans who have not yet picked a team. Overwatch League merch includes hoodies, shirts, and jackets.

VODS, Twitch, and More

Need to get your Overwatch fix right away? Head over to Twitch.tv and watch some Overwatch streamers. Depending on the time of day, Overwatch League players may even be streaming in ranked. Lane “Surefour” Roberts of the Los Angeles Gladiators and Zachary “ZachaREEE” Lombardo of the Dallas Fuel are players who often hop on Twitch and play ranked.

Not wanting to see only one perspective? Find the way over to the Overwatch League Twitch page and catch up on some of the best games from last season. Scroll through the archives and see games from all four stages of last year, as well as the playoffs. They also have the complete coverage of the All Star Weekend, as well as the Overwatch World Cup.

For those who may have seen all of the games from the first season of the Overwatch League and want something new and exciting, check out the Contenders scene. Trials for the various regions of Contenders have already started, and will continue for the next few weeks. These trials determine who joins the Contenders teams that have already qualified, with most regions finishing their trials soon. China and Pacific have already finished their trials, while Korean trials end February 10. The remaining regions, which include North America, South America, Australia, and Europe end trials February 17.

Community Countdown

The Overwatch League recently announced that instead of a typical preseason, they would be hosting a Community Countdown. This event will feature all 20 teams, and will include various events. The events include scrims between teams, Ashe 1v1’s, Ana Paintball, Capture the Flag, and a Talent Showmatch. Starting February 9, fans can see their teams compete in a series of competitions.

While this is not quite the high stakes competition that fans are waiting for, they will rejoice in seeing the players in their favorite colors once more. This fun weekend of games is a great transition for fans back into watching their teams compete again.

Read Up

Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

There are plenty of articles published everyday about the upcoming season, fans can find articles about their favorite teams, as well as general league articles here on The Game Haus. Each team in the Overwatch League will be covered by a member of The Game Haus. Fans can find their team’s best writer and follow them for more content throughout the Overwatch League season.

For more reading, check out the Overwatch League website, where you can see team rosters, scheduling and more. Standings and statistics will also be posted directly to the Overwatch League website.

The Overwatch League returns on February 14, when the London Spitfire take on the Philadelphia Fusion. Fans will have four games to watch on opening day, with the Los Angeles Gladiators taking on the Seoul Dynasty, the New York Excelsior facing the Boston Uprising, and the Shanghai Dragons playing the Hangzhou Spark.

Hi! My name is Zach Stenzel, and I am a writer for The Game Haus. I write about the Overwatch League, specifically covering the London Spitfire and the Los Angeles Gladiators. I am a massive fan of most sports, especially soccer. I am from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Follow me on Twitter (@lilkhobs)